The Reaping Hour
by NJPickleFiend
Summary: Movieverse. Mephistopheles returns with a new threat, and the only person the Rider can rely on is a woman named Ailis. But as he's been searching for her, she has also been searching for him, for the other half of her soul. Ghost Rider/OC
1. Prologue

**My first **_**Ghost Rider**_** fic. Please be nice and review (not flame), because if you don't then I will be sad and might go away and huddle in a corner, sharpening my friend's machete . . . Uh, I mean . . . Aw, whatever. There are two pairings in this. I was going off the basis that JB and GR were two different beings entirely, living in one body. And that maybe Johnny can't fully **_**control**_** and own Ghost Rider because he's too strong, but in the presence of someone (say ROXANNE) Johnny's emotions get the better of him and allow him a slim amount of rebellious control from Ghost Rider. There will be flashbacks from the movie, okay, to sort of confirm this and make you see my point, but I'm not giving away any of the juicy details, okay? And yes, there is an OC(s), and no, there is no yaoi.**

**The Reaping Hour**

**Prologue**

The night was dark to begin with, but the incoming storm only made it blacker than pitch, occasionally lit by the stray lightning bolt zigzagging through the cloud-covered sky. The storm seemed to be alive, teeming with energy than was not natural or normal, even for a storm of this size. The clouds swirled together, gaining strength even as the funnel touched down to earth, kicking up a cloud of dust that only got sucked up in the whirling winds. The very earth trembled with the roar of the thunder and split as a rogue thunder bolt struck the dusty crust. Just as suddenly as the storm had come, it died away, leaving two bodies lying in its ruin.

The two men stood, cracking their slightly aching joints, stiff from disuse. Their nude bodies were stunningly beautiful, belying their fierce, dangerous strength. The man risen from the windstorm had long, dark dreadlocks that swirled together like the storm itself. His eyes were a stormy grey and he was well-muscled, built like a Greek god. The other who'd shot down with the lightning itself had short, spiked, platinum blond hair tingling with static electricity, and intense yellow eyes, alive with energy. Unlike the other man, he was tall and thin like the bolt he'd been born from. They sighted each other and growled a warning, low in their throats, their eyes flashing with the desire to tear each other's throats out.

"Chaos. Ruin." A voice boomed out of the darkness, seething with authority and sinful power. Both men turned to face the owner of that voice, eyes wild with malevolence. The elderly man strolled toward them at an easy pace, not rushing, biding his time. His dark clothes contrasted his grey hair, and his cane made a dull _thud_ with each impact upon the dirt. "I thought you'd never awaken," he said, amused.

"Mephistopheles," the dreadlocked man growled, his voice booming with the power of the storm. The two men tensed, glaring daggers at the old man approaching, but he just smiled at them.

"Now, now, boys, no need to be hostile," Mephistopheles stated, "After all, is that any way to greet your creator?"

"Ten thousand years have passed, and we hid in the storm like cowards, awaiting your arrival, your orders," the lanky man said, his left hand twitching slightly. "And you show now?" He cocked his head to one side.

"I've use for you," Mephistopheles declared, "A job that only you can pull off."

"Why not get your favorite creation to pull it off?" the tornado-man demanded, sternly. "Your precious Rider? Or has he been chosen yet?"

Mephistopheles dark, brooding eyes flashed an angry amber. The two men shuddered but stood their ground. Mephistopheles calmed, staring coolly back at the man called Chaos, who'd asked the question. "Oh, of course he's been chosen. He's been riding for quite some time now. But, you see, not all of my creations are grateful to me for designing them. He's gone rogue."

The other man, called Ruin, laughed. "So much for the Devil's Bounty Hunter."

"You couldn't control the last Rider, either," Chaos stated, "What made you think to create a new one?"

Mephistopheles smirked and gestured around him. "Do you see anyone else with me?" He leaned in close to Ruin and whispered in his ear. "Blackheart has been destroyed."

"By your doing?" Ruin asked. At his creator's nod, he swept a hand through his spiked hair and laughed. "So, you got your Rider to pull it off for you . . . and now he's turned tail and fled." He flashed his eyes open with a fierce snarl. "Tell us where to find him."

"What do you want us to do?" Chaos asked.

"Bring back the Rider," Mephistopheles stated, "He goes by the name of Johnny Blaze, rides motorcycles for sport. He's abandoned that career and rides across the country, dispensing what he calls 'justice'. I want his powers back in my control."

Out of the blue, Ruin asked, "What became of the Hidden? Blackheart's followers . . ."

"My Rider took care of them before he destroyed my son," the Devil acknowledged. Chaos snarled, savagely, eyes alight with fury.

"My brother, Abigor-"

"Is gone now, and I am unable to bring him back, even if I so desired," Mephistopheles said, sternly, staring Chaos in the eye. "Right now, I don't care about him. I want my Rider back under my power. Find him, and . . ." He smirked. "_Persuade_ him to return to me."

In a flash, the Devil was gone, and the two demons shot up into the boiling sky. As they left, the storm cleared and the night reigned, as though none of it ever happened.

**So, what do you think? I do not own **_**Ghost Rider**_**, Johnny Blaze, Abigor, or Mephistopheles, but Chaos and Ruin are my creations. So you remember, Chaos is the Tornado, Ruin is the Lightning. Again, I was watching **_**GR**_** and the documentary **_**Spirit of Vengeance**_**. When they described the Hidden, they described them as "fallen angels once beautiful . . . retaining that beauty". I went with the same concept. As for the connection between Abigor and Chaos . . . Abigor was the wind demon, Chaos is the tornado. You do the math. I think I got Mephistopheles' personality on the dot. Chaos and Ruin were more predator than men, so they act like beasts.**

**Please review. Flames will be added to the Ghost Rider's weaponry and he may use it against you. Be careful.**


	2. Chapter 1

**I originally had a very different plot line with this, but I lost sight of where I was going with it. I wanted to experiment. Plus, I liked the idea of a female Carpathian with a non-Carpathian male. How would it work out? I don't own Ghost Rider or Christine Feehan's **_**Dark **_**series or characters, but I do own my OCs. If you have any idea of what I just said, read on, if not, read on anyway. All will be explained.**

**To my anonymous reviewer, ****Anonymous****, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU so much for being the first to review the re-posted prologue. From your review, I'm going to guess that you'd read on before I took it down and posted just the prologue. . . . Or are you someone I know? I am truly grateful that you enjoy this story and I do hope you will be a recurring reviewer. When I checked my stories, you have no idea how much I smiled to see your review; I was practically bouncing in my seat, squealing my brains out. You don't know how happy you've made me. Thank you so much; you have al of my best wishes and gratitude! Please inform me if there is anything you'd like changed or if you have something to point out. I am re-editing the story, so, hopefully, it will be a little better than when I'd first posted it. Again, thank you, thank you so very, very much!! (tackle-huggles)**

**Chapter 1**

The sun slowly set on the distant horizon, the last, dying rays coloring the sky red. A blanket of darkness swept over the desert, bringing with it a cool wind. Johnny Blaze found himself growing hotter, smoke streaming from his eyes. He held on as long as he could before he let the Rider take over his body. What had once looked like a partnership had now recently regressed back into a rebellious fight for control. When the sun set, Ghost Rider would protest his confinement with his intense heat until Johnny had no choice but to give in.

The Rider pushed Johnny back to the very corners of his mind, letting him watch through his empty eye sockets as he roamed the countryside. His body exploded in a torrent of flame and raw power, and his hot gaze swept over the sands; searching, always searching. Something called to him, something beckoning to the Rider, some undeniable urge to find what he was missing. It was out there, whatever it was, and he would find it, no matter what.

He felt a strange presence all the way out here, in the middle of nowhere, where his only companions were the saguaro cacti and thorn bushes. A bizarre pulling at his soul, something that was trying to grasp him and drag him further in, draw him in to something he knew nothing about. The Rider had to find out what it was, for it was directed at him and not at his human counterpart. Johnny hadn't been able to feel it, but the Rider certainly could.

He crested a sandy dune and swept his hot gaze over the valley below. Something was prodding at his mind, an unfamiliar push, or was it a pull? A summons? He could feel fingers brushing at his mind, a slow, languid caress, an enticement. A dare. _Come and find me,_ it seemed to suggest. A town caught his eye and he cackled in triumph, racing over the hills, down the slope to the light below.

Shrouding himself in darkness, in Johnny's body yet retaining control, he drove through the town. Few shops were open so late, yet he felt himself drawn to a tavern with a fire lit within it's walls. Dismounting his ride, he pushed his way inside.

***

The bar was crowded tonight, packed with bodies of both sexes. Ailis noted the pungent smell of alcohol drifting on the wind conjured by the breaths of the humans congregating. The stage she now stood on was but a small platform, not really worth the title of "stage". She'd seen bigger, been on bigger, but it would do. Her gaze swept over the bodies crowding close to one another, each man trying to push his luck and get closer to her.

She fought the urge to wrinkle her nose at the repellant odor of the liquor, focusing on the presence she felt. He was here, she knew it, knew the moment he'd been within range. All she had to do was draw him in close.

_Ever the seductress, _piccola, a familiar voice teased in her mind, bringing with it a sense of power and authority. _Just who do you think to draw in? I do not sense the presence of another of us in your immediate area._

Ailis exhaled, irritation seeping into her. _Whoever said I was searching for one of our people?_

_It is not safe for you, piccola, to be without a lifemate,_ the voice stated, _I will come and bring Savannah with me to protect you._

Her irritation flamed into fury, yet she kept her cool facade. _You will do no such thing, Gregori. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I will find my lifemate soon._

_You do not think that a human will be your counterpart, do you? Dio, Ailis, it has never been attempted for a female to turn a male. Do not attempt such a thing, or I shall fear for both of your souls._

_You need not worry yourself,_ Ailis said, even as her voice began to rise and her fingers swept over the keys of the piano before her. She held the room captive in her spell, carefully woven, meant to draw in the one she was looking for. The men gazed at her with hunger in their eyes, no doubt lusting after her body. They were not the one for whom she searched. She was unsure of what it would feel like, of how to react, but she believed that when the time came, she would go with her instinct.

The brush of a soft, affectionate, sisterly caress that seemed to sweep down the length of her hair invaded her mind, and she could feel it as though it were taking place. _You always find yourself in trouble, Ailis._ Savannah's mind voice held a note of teasing. The sound brought a smile to Ailis's lips. _Correction, trouble finds me,_ she replied.

It was in that instant that she knew that he'd arrived. She felt him close, felt him walk into the bar, felt the facade he wore to keep himself human. She could feel his power, feel it radiating off his form so much that she skipped a note but quickly recovered. Her eyes were drawn to the spot where he stood. His presence filled the bar, every nook and cranny so that the place seemed to speak his message: _I am here._

**My first attempt at writing a Carpathian. I really hope it works out. So, who is Ailis and why has she drawn Ghost Rider to this place? What does she mean when she says she will find her **_**"lifemate"**_**? And what role could she play in Johnny's hunt for Mephistopheles? Much will be answered, but all in due time, for there's a whole lot of story left!**

**Once again, I don't own Gregori or Savannah, who are from Christine Feehan's **_**Dark Magic**_**. Nor do I own Johnny B. or Ghost Rider. Please review. Flames will be given to Ghost Rider to throw back at you.**


End file.
